The Venmani School of poets were involved in a movement in

Malayalam Literature Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puduchery, is one of the six Classical languages of India. Malayalam literature comprises those literary texts written in Malayalam, a Sou ...

also known as the Venmani Movement. The style of poetry was pioneered by members of the Venmani Illam of

Kodungalloor Kodungallur (; also Cranganore, Portuguese: Cranganor; formerly known as Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the Malabar Coast in Thr ...

in the 19th century.

Main members

The major poets of the Venmani school were

Venmani Achhan Nambudiripad Venmani Parameshwaran Nambudiripad (1817-1890), popularly known as Venmani Achhan Nambudiripad was a famous poet of Malayalam. He was born in the Venmani Illam, a family which was involved in the Venmani School of Malayalam Literature. He was the n ...

(1817-1891),

Venmani Mahan Nambudiripad Venmani Mahan Nambudiripad (1844-1893) (also known as KadambanKadambhan) was a famous Malayalam poet of the Venmani Illam and one of the main literary figures of the Venmani Movement of Malayalam Literature Malayalam, the lingua franca of ...

(1844-1893),

Poonthottam Achhan Nambudiri Poonthottam Achhan Nambudiri (also known as Poonthottam Parameshwaran Nambudiri) (1821-1865) was a poet of the Venmani School of Malayalam Literature. Nambudiri was born in 1821 in Killikkurussimangalam, Palakkad district. He was a close friend a ...

(1821-1865),

Poonthottam Mahan Nambudiri Poonthottam Mahan Nambudiri (also known as Poonthottam Damodaran Nambudiri) (1857-1946) was a poet from the Venmani School of Malayalam Literature. He was the author of several Malayalam poems like ''Thaarakaasura Vadham'', ''Raajasooyam'', ''Kuc ...

(1857-1896) and the members of the

Kodungallur Kovilakam Kodungallur Kovilakam ( ml, കൊടുങ്ങല്ലൂര്‍ കോവിലകം), is a palace of the royal family of the late edievalKingdom of Kodungallur (Cranganore), in the modern-day Indian state of Kerala. Kodungallur was a fe ...

(Royal Family) such as

Kodungallur Kunjikkuttan Thampuran Kodungallur Kunjikkuttan Thampuran (1864 - 1914) also transliterated as ''Kotungallur Kunhikkuttan Thampuran'', was a Malayalam poet and Sanskrit scholar lived in Kerala, India. His birth-name was Rama Varma. He is famous for his single-hande ...

. The style of these poets became quite popular for a while and influenced even others who were not members of the group like

Velutheri Kesavan Vaidyar Velutheri Kesavan Vaidyar(1858–1896) was a Malayalam poet; Sanskrit scholar and Ayurveda physician from the state of Kerala, India. He was born as second child among four children born to Eeshwaran Padmanabhan of Velutheri House in Thottam and ...

(1839-1897) and Perunlli Krishnan Vaidyan (1863-1894).

Style of literature

The Venmani School pioneered a style of poetry that was associated with common day themes, and the use of pure

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

rather than

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

. The poetry was therefore easily understood by the common man. The works were known for its humor, wit, and lyrical meter.

References

http://www.namboothiri.com/articles/venmani-school.htm
Malayalam-language literature Indian literary movements {{lit-mov-stub

Main members

Style of literature

See also

References